Method of making shot.



PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

T. E. RBDDY. METHOD OF MAKING SHOT.-

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

C. ERDNER, OF BELLEVUE, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MAKING SHOT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed August 29.1906. Serial No. 332.443.

To all whom, it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, THoMAs'E. 'REDDY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State-0fPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMethods and Apparatus for Making Shot; and I do declare the following tobe afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andusethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters and figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing shot, andit comprises the dropping of the molten lead from the bottom of thekettle into a moving body of plumbago, commercially known as East Indiagraphite, and the invention further consists of a suitable apparatus forthe, making of shot in accordance with my improved method, as will befully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a side section, partly inelevation, of a complete apparatus for the manufacture of shot inaccordance with my improved method. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectionalelevation of a portion of the bottom of the shotkettle, showing theperforations of the same, together with a portion of the removableperforated distributing plate. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

To construct an apparatus for the manufacturev of shot in accordancewith my invention,'I first provide a melting kettle 6, which I preferto' arrange in connection with a heater for the purpose of melting andmain taining the lead therein at a certain temperature. This heatercomprises an annular shell 2, having air openings at the base and openat the top for the reception of the melting kettle 6, said kettle beingsupported therein by means of a circumferential integral flange 7 formedabout the same. Arranged within the interior of the shell 2 is a gasburner 3, which is fitted with a gas-suply pipe, in which is an airmixer 4'and reguating valve 5. Connected to the bottom of the meltingkettle 6 is a drain pipe 8, fitted with a stop valve 9, the dischargeend of said pipe being arranged over a suitably formed drop-kettle 10.This drop kettle consists of a cast iron receptacle having a series ofcircumferential shallow grooves 15 formed in the bottom, and each groovehaving a series of minute openings 16 extending through the said bottom.Resting on the side walls of the receptacle 10, slightly above the planeof the bottom 14, is a perforated disk 12, said perforations beingarranged in circles intermediate of the grooves 15 of the bottom 14, insuch manner that the perforations 13 of the disk will not be immediatelyabove the perforations and grooves 15 of the bottom 14.

Arranged beneath the shot kettle, above described, is a large receptacle18, capable of containing a quantity of plumbago in pulverized form.This receptacle 18 tapers to a small cylindrical chamber 20 at thebottom, and the said chamber separated from the upper part by a slidevalve 21, which may be opened or closed, as desired. Attached to thebase ofthe chamber 20 is a downwardly extending shaft 29, looselymounted in a stand 28 firmly fixed to the floor, in such manner thatsaid shaft and its connected receptacle may be free to revolve. Toprovide .a means for revolving the receptacle 18, a

bevel wheel 25 is attached to the shaft 29, the said bevel Wheel beingin mesh with a pinion 26, mounted on a drive-shaft, said shaft beingsupported in a bearing and driven by a band wheel 27. I The side wallsof the chamber 20 are formed with a series of openings 22, and looselyarranged about the exterior of said chamber is a casing 23, which casingis fitted with a spout 24, the discharge end of which is arranged over abin 30.

In operation, the lead used in the manufacture ofthe shot is suitablytempered or hardened by arsenic and reduced to a molten condition in themelting kettle 6, and a suitable quantity transferred to the drop kettle10 through the medium of the pipe 8. The molten metal percolatingthrough the perforations 13, spreads to the grooves 15 in the bottom ofsaid kettle and through the perforations 16, collecting about the lowerperimeter of said openings in small globular form 'until it drops intothe plumbago 19 below.

This body of plumbago 19 is kept in constant motion by the band Wheel27, which movement will prevent the one shot from falling upon the otherbefore suflicient time has lapsed to permit the metal to harden bydiminished 'temperature; The shot thus mademay be removed by opening theslide valve 21 and permitting the same to escape through the spout 24.

In practice, it has been found that shot manufactured by this method donot flatten or explode when dropped .into a mass of plumbago but keeptheir spherical form.

The advantages-of this method of making shot over those now in commonuse, is the inexpensive apparatus, compared with high shot towers, &c.,well known in the art.

Various slight modifications and changes may be made in the apparatuswithout departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore I do notwish to confine myself to that shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I-claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pat- I ent, is 1. The herein described method ofmanufacturing-shot, which consists in discharging molten lead inglobular form into a body of plumbago.

2. The herein described method of manufacturing shot, which consists indischarging molten lead in globular form into a body of pluinbago orgraphite, said body of graphite being in constant motion to prevent oneglobular particle from falling upon the other.

3. The herein described method of manufacturing shot, which consists indischarging molten lead in globular form into a body of graphite havinga constant rotary motion, as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in-presenceof two witnesses.

I THOMAS E. REDDY. Witnesses:

WM. G. WALTER, O. A. HENSEL.

